More Talk of Changes for Cats, Sens

In the days following the inaugural JerseyWatch 2011 post, a couple of mainstream media outlets have picked up on NHL uniforms changes set for 2011. And they're providing some new details for us.

George Richards of the Miami Herald says he's also heard red is returning to the Florida Panthers. He was prompted by the Icethetics post to share on his blog, On Frozen Pond, some of what he's heard from the players and team officials.

I wrote, regarding the Panthers forthcoming new home and road uniforms, that all we have is speculation. "You want speculation?" Richards wrote, "You got it!"

Panthers 2003-2007 / On Frozen PondSo since he was kind enough to quote me, I'll quote him so you can have a perspective from someone who covers the team:

At least five players have said they had heard the reds were coming back. Bill Torrey, Dale Tallon and Mike Santos have all alluded to their return. 

This is a big turnaround from the summer when it appeared that everything was going to the Michael Yormark-favored JetBlue uniforms.

So what are the Panthers going to do? Again, it's just speculation. But I wouldn't be surprised to see the Panthers keep their traditional color scheme for home and away — with a new logo, or just a modified one — with the third jerseys sticking around for Chevy/Ford/Pontiac Fridays.

And I think everyone could live with that.

Although ... Was talking with some friends last night as we watched the replay of the Atlanta game and the Panthers current dark blue home jerseys have finally worn on me. I dig them. I liked the blue alternate when they came out in the late 1990s and I think it's a good look today.

I wouldn't mind the Panthers going to white-dark blue-red as their three jersey combos and dropping the Tampa Bay JetBlue Rays look completely.

But I don't see that happening.

Nor do I. And look, we're not going to win every jersey battle. Sometimes we'll take what we can get. And if it means getting the Panthers back in red, we'll take it.

As long as they stay at the bottom of the Southeast Division.

The Ottawa Sun is reporting, independently, that the Ottawa Senators will indeed have a new look next season.

They say the Sens will launch a new third jersey as part of their 20th anniversary celebration, which will include hosting duties for the 2012 NHL All-Star Game. I hadn't considered that in my original post but it does make sense.

This was the paper's only speculation on the design:

While their alternative black third jersey has been a success, they might be looking at a design that includes a stylized 'O.'

They don't specify the basis for this speculation but, to be fair, this is a widely held assumption.

And by the way, if the Sens are turning 20, that means the Lightning are too. Perhaps the new home and road jerseys expected in Tampa have to do with the special anniversary as well. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough what both teams plan to take into their third decades of NHL hockey.

And on an unrelated note, I've just come to the realization that I've been following my Bolts for more than 18 years now. When did I get old exactly?